More Backstage News On Gene Snitsky’s Firing From WWE

Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (F4WOnline.com)

Regarding Snitsky’s release from WWE on 12/11, officials felt for quite some time that he wasn’t going to be the headliner they had initially hoped for, and since he turns 39 years old in a few weeks, the feeling was that they could give his spot on the roster to someone younger — obviously Mike Knox. As a result, he was let go from WWE after five years in the company.

After spending several years working for WWE Hall of Famer Afa’s Allentown, Pennsylvania-based indy promotion World Xtreme Wrestling, WWE signed Snitsky to a developmental contract in October 2003 due to his tremendous stature. Snitsky debuted in WWE in September 2004 practically by accident. Officials had an idea for an angle where Lita, carrying Kane’s baby, would miscarry. At the last minute, they wanted an unknown wrestler to be involved in the angle. They also wanted someone who was big, and Snitsky fit the bill quite well. He then cut a memorable promo the next week on Raw, and managed to land a spot on the roster as a result.

There were several attempts to push him over the years, but they never worked out in the end. Due to the fact that he was initially brought in because of size, he obviously wasn’t quite ready early on, and if he was ever going to be “ready” later, fans had already perceived him as a big klutzy wrestler and never seriously bought him, despite his huge size, as a guy with star potential. The goal of Snitsky’s mega-push in 2007 was to get him ready as a headliner against John Cena and Triple H by the start of 2008 similar to how Umaga was built up for Cena during the previous year. However, Snitsky once again failed to get over and his push evaporated by the end of the year.

His release from the company was not much of a surprise as he had largely disappeared from television in the past year.

It should also be noted that Snitsky actually went to the trouble and expense of having his teeth permanently yellowed for his character. They still fired him after that.

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